Nation of Islam Leader Louis Farrakhan to Speak at Alabama A&M University

Louis Farrakhan, the controversial leader of the Nation of Islam, has accepted an invitation from a coalition of student groups to speak at Alabama A&M University on April 10, The Times’ news partner, WHNT News 19, reports.

The Alabama A&M Poetry Club and the Alabama A&M Democrats were two of the student groups who invited Farrakhan to speak, according to WHNT. Poetry club president Kris Taylor told WHNT that Alabama A&M administrators gave the go-ahead for the Farrakhan appearance, which comes on the heels of anti-Jewish comments by the Nation of Islam leader.

Farrakhan stirred controversy last month when he said Jews had control of the U.S. government and media in what he called “an agreement with hell and covenant and death,” WHNT reported. He has also previously referred to Jewish groups as a “synagogue of Satan,” WHNT reported, and called white people “potential humans who have not fully evolved.”

The Jewish Federation of Huntsville-North Alabama said they plan to meet with Alabama A&M officials and ask them to reconsider the invitation, WHNT reported.

“All I can say is shame on A&M for allowing him (Farrakhan) to come,” said Etz Chayim synagogue member Max Rosenthal told WHNT. “We [Jews] are related to Satan according to Mr. Farrakhan…Mr. Farrakhan is a rabid hate-monger, a rabid anti-Semite, and I think all he’s going to do is try to poison the minds of the A&M students. It’s a real disaster to the community, and I believe it’s going to be very divisive.”

Poetry club president Taylor told WHNT criticism of Farrakhan’s past remarks is “overblown” and the appearance is intended to “uplift” and bring “positive energy.”

“There’s going to be positive energy coming from this,” Taylor told WHNT. “I don’t believe he’s going to come here and bash the Jews…There should be no division when you’re trying to uplift and bring positive energy to something.”

(Alabama Live )